The present invention relates generally to the field of toilets.
It has been known heretofore in the prior art to provide a marine type toilet of the so-called dry type in which the bowl is connected with a controlled fluid pressure source which provides fluid for a flushing rim arrangement and also fluid for a high pressure jet nozzle arranged to discharge across a depending bowl outlet sump at the bottom of the bowl, the discharge nozzle serving to produce a Venturi action which induces the discharge from the toilet bowl to flow into a suitable outlet connection. In this known arrangement, a branch connection connects the flushing rim with the controlled fluid pressure source at a point upstream of the jet nozzle.
The Wiggs U.S. Pat. No. 3,010,115, as indicated above in connection with the known prior art, discloses a flushing system for a commode in which a branch water supply from the main water supply is utilized for impounding of water in a tank from which it is carried and distributed to the top of the bowl for washing the bowl during flushing, and at the conclusion of the flushing operation operates to feed water by gravity through the flushing rim to reestablish a water level in the bottom of the bowl. This is a different concept than that of the present invention, wherein the water from a reservoir tank is utilized to provide a delay in the rim flushing operation, and at the conclusion of the flushing operation functions to return fluid from the tank to the main flushing flow channel at the bottom of the toilet so as to reestablish fluid level in the toilet bowl.
In the present invention, pressurized flushing fluid is conducted from a fluid source under the control of a valve such as an electrically operated valve, to a jet nozzle arranged to eject a discharge jet across a bottom sump of the toilet bowl, and into an aligned outlet connection leading to a suitable discharge conduit and trap of conventional arrangement. Upstream of the jet nozzle, a branch conduit leads into the bottom of a reservoir tank which is supported at the back of the toilet bowl. This tank is of about one-quart capacity, and at its uppermost end sealingly supports a tubular member which has one end projecting from a side wall to the exterior of the tank, this end being arranged for sealed connection with a wall opening having communication with the rim flushing structure of the bowl. The other end of the tubular member projects outwardly of an opposite wall and is provided with a threaded end containing a flanged nut which is operable to compress appropriate sealing members for the tubular member at the tank walls and its connection with the wall opening of the bowl. The outermost end of the tubular member is closed by a screw cap. Within the tank, a small opening in the top portion of the tubular member provides flow communication between the interior of the tank and the rim flushing arrangement. This simple arrangement will convert an otherwise dry type marine toilet into a wet type. As thus arranged, when the electric control valve is opened to begin a flushing operation, there will simultaneously be produced a jet action from the jet nozzle, and a flow of flushing fluid upwardly into the reservoir tank, and thence into the rim flushing channel. This latter action takes place with a slight delay. Upon termination of the flushing, by closure of the electric valve, the jet action ceases and the water which has been impounded in the reservoir tank will now flow downwardly and be discharged through the jet into the sump and upwardly into the bowl to establish a normal water level therein.